AI's staff makeover plan runs into rough weather

The All India Cabin Crew Association has written a letter to the Air India expressing its concern over the new uniforms that are set to be worn by its crew members from March 23.

In the letter (mid-day has a copy), the All India Cabin Crew Association expressed its concerns about the uniform to the national carrier.

The letter reads, “We are now given to understand the process for stitching the uniforms have not been put in place and there is no clarity on who will tailor the same. Also asking the Individual Cabin Crew to stitch the same will be both a time consuming exercise and an additional burden on the company. This is because the budget decided by the Company may not fit the bill of most individual tailors. The Crew would have to choose a good tailor to get a good and perfect fit.”

The letter also states, "It is neither a guarantee nor the responsibility of the crew that the tailors will adhere to the timeframe of the company, which is less than 10 days."

The association also highlighted how the new mustard uniform has similarities with the Jet Airways’ yellow uniform of the crew. “It is neither a guarantee nor the responsibility of the crew that the tailors will adhere to the time frame, which is less than 10 days time,” the letter concludes.

On March 7, mid-day had reported that by the end of the month the national carrier’s crewmembers would be wearing the new ensembles designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) at the cost of Rs 8 crore. The proposal came up early 2014 and the tender was issued in July 2014.

A crew from Air India said, “Eight years back when the airline had changed the uniform for crew it had appointed a tailor who had stitched the uniforms for the crew and they were all ready a week before the deadline. But this time it is completely the opposite. If the same continues we would be able to stick to the deadline of March 23 as only five days are remaining.”